


February Roses

by fuzzymountains



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Lee Taeyong is Whipped, Lee Taeyong-centric, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Possibly Unrequited Love, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 07:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24346993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzymountains/pseuds/fuzzymountains
Summary: For Jaehyun the arrival of a new girl hinders his relationship with his best friendFor Taeyong it puts things into perspectiveorTaeyong realizes that he has feelings for his childhood best friend while watching him fall for a girl
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	1. 2005

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on/inspired by the film Ocean Waves, but I made it gay.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new student gains someone's attention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only incorrect things about this is that most of NCT are the same age, or very close in age, also that Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald were never released in South Korea, which was a very disappointing development for me...

2005

A teacher’s soft call to attention falls on deaf ears to the third grade classroom of Gwanak Elementary in Seoul, a bumble of conversations continue to filter throughout the small room, a group of four friends at the back of the class are engaging in a very important discussion on Pokemon, led by one exceptionally boisterous boy.

“Ruby?! Really?! Sapphire is obviously better!” declares Johnny Suh twisting further in his chair to look at his two friends seated behind him. The boy had recently moved to Seoul from the big city Chicago, and true to his American roots, he, is a know it all.

“What…? Groudon is way cooler than Kyogre!!” Moon Taeil, the boy Johnny is currently riling up, regards him dumbfounded as if he was stating a fact, and not the opinion of a 9 year old.

“Class?” Mrs. Kim tries again to call their attention with her soft voice.

“What about you Tyong? What’s your favourite?” Johnny turns the focus to their peer who was deeply regarding the discourse.

“Well..” he began. “I think Kyogre is cooler but that’s because he’s a neat whale, but my mom bought me Emerald for my birthday so I really think Rayquaza is coolest.” the young boy “Tyong” who also went by his real name Lee Taeyong from time to time, was not trying to be the middleman in this discussion, no, instead he was introducing a new variant, Rayquaza. 

“Rayquaza?” a new voice scoffed from beside Johnny.

“For once I agree with Johnny, Kyogre is the best.” Kim Dongyoung, affectionately called “Doyoung”, looked up from the notepad he was doodling on to peer over his shoulder in false disgust at his two friends with differing opinions.

“Class-!” Mrs. Kim’s patience was beginning to run out, however just as she was about to give a lecture on respect a knock was heard on the classroom door. This is what finally garnered the classroom’s full, undivided attention. Through the window beside the door the students could see the silhouettes of a tall figure, as well as a shorter, smaller figure, another 9 year old? But everyone is in class, a new classmate? 

“New kid.” one student said hushed from her seat near the door. The room remained dead silent in anticipation for who would be behind the door. As Mrs. Kim opened the door and greeted the adult on the other side Taeyong and Johnny shared glances, that was Principal Jang’s gruff voice, this really might be a new kid. And just as they looked back at the door everyone’s suspicions were proven true, there next to the principal’s large figure stood a small, visibly nervous boy.

“Ahem.” as Principal Jang cleared his throat Mrs. Kim moved to stand comfortingly at the student’s side. He stood tapping the rubber toe of his shoe on the ground anxiously, his little fingers gripping tightly to the straps of his red backpack, as he focused solely on a black scuff on the classroom’s otherwise pristine white floor.

“Everyone meet your new classmate Jung Jaehyun, he will be joining you all from here onwards, treat him well, and let’s give him a warm welcome!” Principal Jang guffawed and pat Jung Jaehyun on his shoulder. “With that I’ll be off!” before turning to take his leave the principal smiled at Mrs. Kim, and finally left the classroom shutting the door on his way out. The classroom continued to stand still, everyone curious about the new kid, who’s face they had barely caught a glimpse of, hidden by his bangs while he continued to stare at the ground.

“Right so, as Principal Jang said this is our new classmate Jaehyun! He transferred today from another school and we’re very happy to meet him, right?” Mrs. Kim inquired and the class mumbled in agreement.

“Well then let’s have Jaehyun introduce himself and then we can begin today’s lesson, Jaehyun?” Mrs. Kim nodded towards him enthusiastically, encouraging him to speak.

“Um, I’m Jung Jaehyun, I’m 9 years old, and I guess… I like Pokemon?” he said timidly, finally looking up with a sweet smile.

“Hey this guy’s pretty cool!” piped Johnny from his seat, earning him a stern eye from Mrs. Kim. As Jaehyun walked past the four friends on his way to his seat in the back row Johnny whispered to him in a comically serious tone. "We have a very important thing to talk about with you at lunch.” and motioned to his three friends. Jaehyun, albeit nervous for the conversation, felt a little bit better about it seeing the smiles on the other boy’s faces, and he felt even better about attending this class.

“Oh... That’s it?” Jaehyun was just told that the “important thing” was only about Pokemon Sapphire Vs. Ruby by Doyoung who sat across the cafeteria table from him, and it finally dawned on him just what kind of people he was dealing with.

“I play Emerald, so Emerald I guess. Rayquaza is pretty awesome if you think about it, he’s like a snake and a dragon in one.” Jaehyun clearly wasn’t as stirred up about this discussion as the four other boys as he munched on his lunch, but, he was about to make it even worse.

“Shouldn’t the question be which starter you chose? I guess there’s only one right answer though so we don’t really need to talk about it huh?” Jaehyung shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as if he did not just say the most interesting thing in the world to the other boys.

“AND? What _is_ the answer?!” Johnny, on the edge of his seat ready for the unanimous agreement that Treecko was obviously superior, was actually just about to have his entire day ruined by a boy he had met an hour prior.

“Mudkip.” Jaehyun deadpanned.

“MUDKIP!!! Mudkip? Whew, are you guys hearing this? He chose MUD. KIP.” Johnny turned away from Jaehyun seeking similar rage from his peers but was met with… disagreement?

“Johnny, Mudkip is the coolest, who did YOU choose?” Taeyong regarded his friend as if he was criminally insane.

“Treecko, like a normal person.” Johnny, understanding that Taeyong is an interesting individual and may also have below average taste, looks to Taeil and Doyoung for the approval he so desperately seeks.

“You’re all wrong it’s Torchic and I will not be debating on this, Torchic is supreme.” Doyoung made his statement before continuing to stuff his mouth with rice, while Taeil simply nods beside him sipping from his juice box. The table falls into an eerie silence.

“I think you just ruined our friend group..” it was Taeyong who spoke up to Jaehyun after a solid 30 seconds of said silence, which was a once in a lifetime occurrence for these friends.

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t think that- I’m sorry.” Jaehyun sounded genuinely apologetic.

“No wait! Don’t worry, we’ll forget about it all by tomorrow, we do this a lot, you’ll get used to our great debates eventually!” Taeyong gleamed at Jaehyun showing he wasn’t actually upset, he really just wanted to make Jaehyun feel welcome. He _really_ just wanted Jaehyun to like him.

“Eventually?” Jaehyun smiled, Taeyong smiled too

From that moment onward Taeyong decides to do his best to befriend the new shy boy Jaehyun, their first meeting was running through his mind the rest of class, the look of sadness on his face when he thought he really ruined a friendship over something so trivial, but also the light in his eyes as he smiled back at Taeyong when he realized it was a joke. Taeyong was somehow obsessed with that smile. That evening at dinner time he proudly proclaimed to his parents that he made a new friend in the new kid at school, his older sister rolled her eyes at his excitement but he wouldn’t let her dampen his spirits. Something about the quiet and calm demeanour of the new boy struck Taeyong as fascinating, but he also knew there had to be more to him.

The next day in class Johnny showed up wearing a Treecko shirt, Taeyong and Jaehyun locked eyes across the classroom and laughed about it together.

Taeyong quickly discovered he was right in thinking that there was more to the new boy, he also discovered they were made to be best friends, of course they still had their other friends, but they had a different bond with each other. Jaehyun was special to Taeyong, he wasn’t quite like Taeyong’s other friends, if you asked him why he’d never be able to tell you. They just clicked, Taeyong was outgoing and opinionated, and Jaehyun was quiet and reserved... For a while. But that’s what makes them so good together, if Jaehyun hadn’t met Taeyong and if Taeyong hadn’t forced his way into his life like he did, Jaehyun may have never come out of his shell. He wouldn’t be as energetic, and uninhibited as he is now, he wouldn’t have the silly experiences he has. Taeyong was the one who taught him how to ride a bike, Taeyong was the one that made him laugh the most, Taeyong introduced him to so many things. Jaehyun needed Taeyong, almost as much as Taeyong needed Jaehyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this fic will be based in high school this is just some background on my two lovely boys and their silly friends


	2. 2008

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where there is Jaehyun there is Taeyong, where there is Taeyong there is Jaehyun, they are a package deal.

2008

Over the past couple of years their friend group grew once more, this time adding a sarcastic boy named Jungwoo, and his Chinese prodigal friend Dong Sicheng, or as they like to call him “WinWin” because he’s literally good at everything and will destroy you in every game you put in front of him.

“Ayyy Winwin, why are you also so good at Fifa it’s not fair!” Doyoung put his PlayStation2 controller down a little too harshly on Taeil’s mom’s nice coffee table.

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game!” Sicheng smiled in Doyoung’s face, which should have been insulting, and annoying, but Sicheng has too much charm for Doyoung to stay mad.

“Don’t say stuff like that Sicheng, it makes you sound lame. Anyway, who’s gonna challenge the master Winwin next!” Johnny exclaimed perched on a couch cushion on the floor a little too close to the television, stuffing his mouth with dried seaweed.

“Why not you Johnny?” Taeyong comments from his place on the couch next to the most recent loser Doyoung.

“Yeah, we’ve all played a match against him but you Johnny, why is that?” Jaehyun pitches in his hot take, seated on the armrest to Taeyong’s right. By now it’s obvious to everyone but the boy being questioned that Jaehyun and Taeyong are beginning one of their usual mind games with Johnny.

“What does that mean Jae? What are you possibly trying to say right now?” Taeyong inquires sarcastically.

“Maybe that Johnny…. Is…. Scared to lose?” Jaehyun cocks his head while turning his gaze from Taeyong to Johnny, who has already stood from his position on the floor.

“Fine, fine. I’ll play, but Sicheng, don’t cry when you have to change your name to Loselose.” Johnny cockily suggests while grabbing the controller and tapping Doyoung’s shin with his socked toe in a silent request for him to vacate his seat on the couch between Taeyong and Sicheng.

“I really don’t think I’ll have to do that?” Sicheng said absently, more focused on the screen in front of him, already choosing his team. The entire room hums in agreement, Jungwoo being the loudest as he motions for Taeil to pass him the seaweed now that Johnny was no longer guarding it. Taeyong and Jaehyun share a single look that somehow communicates an entire conversation for them.

“Johnny’s gonna lose.”

“I know Jae”

“We set him up for failure.”

“Yes, we did and I will laugh.” Taeyong smirks.

“You’re my best friend.” Jaehyun smirks back, and maybe this last sentence wasn’t quite communicated, but he hopes it was.

The friends are now gathered around the dinner table eating a meal graciously prepared by Taeil’s parents. Fragrant kimchi jiggae, fresh fluffy white rice, and seaweed salad topped with heaps of sesame seeds are set out on the table before them.

“I can’t believe Johnny won.” Jaehyun whispers to Taeyong seated at the dinner table to his left, with Johnny merely inches away from him to his right.

“Mmhm I know, how’d he do it?” Taeyong whispers back before slurping a spoonful of steaming red soup, flinching a little, and scalding the tip of his tongue on the hot liquid. Jaehyun notices.

“Be careful Tyong, it’s hot!” Jaehyun chuckles but his eyebrows are drawn together in concern. He reaches his arm behind his friend and gently pats his back.

“It’s hot, but it’s sooooo good! Thank you for dinner!” Jungwoo exclaims around a mouthful of soft spicy tofu.

"Hey Loselose? Can you pass me the pickled radish?" Johnny asks, putting on an innocent face.

"That's not going to catch on, but A+ for trying!" Sicheng says as he passes Johnny the dish of radish.

"I think it might!"

"It's not gonna happen Johnny, It's never gonna happen." Doyoung deadpans. As always, Jaehyun and Taeyong giggled together.

Seeing the two of them together had become a more than a common occurrence now, all of their friends understood it, those two weren’t just best friends, they were _bestest_ friends. If you told Taeyong a secret you knew you were also telling it to Jaehyun because there was no way Taeyong could keep it from him, and vice versa. If you invited Jaehyun to hang out at your place you bet Taeyong is also showing up. The young boys spend almost everyday together, eating lunch together and swapping desserts, hanging out during break time and telling jokes, even walking halfway home together before they have to part ways, some weekends they meet at a nearby park with their friends, but some weekends they just meet alone at each other’s houses. 

When Jaehyun finally got a bike of his own for his birthday he quickly called Taeyong’s home and invited him over so he could check it out (because he valued Tayong’s opinion on his bike) and to test it out and ride around together. Jaehyun enjoyed being able to see his friend’s face while they went for adventures on their bikes now, no longer having to stand on the pegs of Taeyong’s back wheels, but he had to admit, he kind of missed being able to lean in and whisper a dumb joke in his friend’s ear while they rode around the city, Taeyong would always laugh so hard he’d lose control of the handle bars and almost put them in a ditch. 

Weekends were now spent begging their parents for pocket money and riding their bikes out along the Han River, eventually stopping to buy ice cream and ramen to keep their tummies full. Sometimes they would ride by their other friends’ houses knocking on the front door and acting like angels to politely ask “Can ‘so-and-so’ come out to play?” giving their best puppy dog eyes to whichever parent answered the door. 

Even the parents knew now, where there was Jaehyun there was Taeyong, where there was Taeyong there was Jaehyun, they were a package deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one is a little short


	3. 2011 - August

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The friend group continues to expand, and Taeyong loves all of his friends. Really! But sometimes they are annoying, and he is reminded that he truly only has Jaehyun in this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! A long-ish chapter!

2011

Taeyong slung the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder, grabbing his yellow school blazer off of his desk chair, looping it over his school bag all while slipping out of his house slippers and jamming his feet into his sneakers, he was running a little behind schedule after sleeping in this morning, and then drifting off while in the shower. Taeyong was never late, and he most certainly couldn’t be in only the third week back to school after summer break of his second year at SOPA (School Of Performing Arts).

“I gotta go mom, see ya tonight don’t forget I’m hanging with Jae an the guys after school today!” he yells while making a b-line for the front door and grabbing his keys.

“What about breakfast?” His mother yells back from the kitchen standing in the doorway with a fresh cup of tea in hand.

“I’ll grab something on the way! Bye-” he cuts himself off with the slam of the front door and races down the steps of his three storey apartment building. Using one of his many keys he unlocks his bike from the otherwise empty bike rack in front of his home and hurriedly swings his leg over the seat and begins peddling off in the direction of his school. His bike ride to school is fairly scenic if you enjoy narrow alleys full of vending machines, winding paved hills, and the odd old lady out for a morning walk to yell good morning to in passing, and honestly Taeyong adores all of those things. He enjoys riding his bike to school especially on a summer day like this, although the air feels a little too warm and a little too sticky in the humid month of August, the breeze cools his face and the screeching hum of hundreds of cicadas somehow relaxes him. While speeding down another hill going beyond what he feels is the speed of light Taeyong begins to slow down eventually bringing his bicycle to a screeching halt at the bottom of the hill overlooking a steep staircase that would lead him 20 steps down to a busy little street with a bustling food market even at 8am on a monday. The smell of freshly baked bread and steamed buns fill his nose, tempting him to descend and indulge in some gluttony, but the market isn’t what he stopped for. He’s here for the GS25 perched above it, a good morning for Taeyong always starts with a convenience run. Hopping off his bike and leaving it leaning against the staircase railing outside, blindly trusting it won’t be stolen in his neighbourhood, he takes his phone out of his pocket and dials a familiar number.

“What do you want?” the deep voice answers.

“Not the way to answer the phone when I’m calling to ask if you want any breakfast from GS25 now is it?” Taeyong responds, already in the air conditioned store feeling the sweat cool and dry on his skin, stalking towards his favourite sweet potato snacks on a shelf.

“Oh.. OH! My sincerest apologies Tyong! Good morning, how are you? Great? That’s great. Anyways can you grab me a cold brew, some peach jellies, and a red bean bun?” Jaehyun has a one sided conversation giving Taeyong no room to answer his questions.

“I-” Taeyong barely opens his mouth to speak when he is immediately cut off.

“Awesome, thanks man I gotta go! See you in class!” Jaehyun sounds absolutely thrilled with himself before hanging up, thinking that he really just won this interaction, unbeknownst to him Taeyong already knew this is exactly what would happen and is smiling to himself like a fool while grabbing everything his best friend asked for, already knowing what brands were his favourites. Honestly by now the phone call is just a formality, and maybe an excuse to talk to his friend. Before paying for Jaehyun’s requests, his sweet potatoes, and his own cold brew he shoots the groupchat a message.

**Tyong: GS25 run, snack requests?**

**Doyoung: nah. thanks tho**

**Zues: hanwoo please**

**John: make it 2 servings of hanwoo**

**Win: chocolate milk pls :)**

**Zues: oh me too but strawberry <3**

**SunnyD: egg.**

**John: 3 servings**

**John is typing…**

Taeyong giggles to himself and grabs a chocolate milk and a strawberry milk for his respective friends, and another cold brew to appease Johnny, he spares a glance towards the hard boiled eggs. His phone dings.

**John: 4 servings of hanwoo, if i do not have 4 servings of hanwoo i will riot**

Taeyong finally pays, the bill coming to  ₩26,580, he sighs to himself putting his change in his uniform trousers. He thinks to himself that he’s lucky he got that part time job at the udon shop over the summer break, but his friends better have cash to pay him back this time, and now he is definitely going to be late if he doesn’t put the pedal to the metal and bust his ass to class.

Just as Taeyong jumps off his bike and begins shuffling through his bag for his lock and chain he hears the voice from his phone call earlier, but this time booming from right behind him, startling him a little.

“Oh great and mighty Tyong, did you complete my requests?” Jaehyun marches up behind his best friend with his award winning smile, dimples and all.

“Bag’s on the handle bars..” Taeyong says distractedly, still searching his bag for his bike lock fearing he forgot it on the bike rack at home. Jaehyun pulls the bag from the handle bars and fishes his treats out, cracking open the can of cold brew and taking a sip.

“Two problems here buddy. My cold brew is on the verge of not being cold, and there is a suspicious lack of Jungwoo and Johnny’s hanwoo…” Jaehyun chuckles at the annoyed face Taeyong shoots at him while finally pulling the lock from the vast depths of his schoolbag.

“It’s 30 degrees and you’re complaining that your cold brew isn’t cold enough?” Taeyong locks his bicycle to the school bike rack full of other students modes of transportation.

“Exactly. It’s 30 degrees, I wanted a cold brew, keyword  **cold,** so excuse me for trying to beat the heat and get my morning caffeine intake at the same time.” Jaehyun leans against Taeyong’s now parked bike and rips open the plastic packaging of his bun with his teeth, his hands too full, and takes a big bite leaving crumbs on his cheek.

“Understandable Jae, but it’s in a metal can and the convenience store in 10 minutes away from here, it’s gonna get a  _ little _ warm on one of the hottest days of the year.” Taeyong takes his own cold brew out of the bag Jaehyun is still holding, opening it with a satisfying pop and gulping some down.

“Oh shit, that’s lukewarm at best.” Taeyong makes a displeased face.

“So you understand now?” Jaehyun asks, mouth full of red bean, cheeks still littered in crumbs.

“Shut up, let’s get to class.” Taeyong takes the bag of snacks from his best friend who was swinging it wildly while walking along beside him.

“Why is my milk warm? This is disgusting.” Jungwoo made his way over to Taeyong and Jaehyun’s shared desk to complain.

“Be grateful or I will fist fight you. My cold brew isn’t cold, Jae’s cold brew isn’t cold, your milk isn’t going to be warm. Do you know how hot it is out there?” Taeyong gestures wildly to the window beside his desk. He has already had to endure his lukewarm cold brew, and earned a thumbs down and stuck out tongue from Johnny across the classroom after seeing his own un-cold cold brew, Taeyong does not want to hear about the milk right now.

“Yes I know how hot it is, that’s why I wanted a refreshing cold strawberry milk, but when I got to class a  _ warm _ strawberry milk was sitting on my desk instead, you didn’t do this to me, did you?” Jungwoo is clearly trying his hardest to annoy Taeyong, but what catches them both off guard is Jaehyun breaking out in laughter beside them.

“I’M SORRY? R-refreshing? Milk? What are you a serial killer?” he’s laughing so hard other students are noticing and looking in their direction.

“What’s wrong with milk?” Jungwoo asks innocently. This is what sends Taeyong into a laughing fit of his own, the two boys are cackling now, hitting each other and slapping their desks.

“Th- there’s nothing wrong with milk Jung-*wheeze* woo, nothing at all. Pffft refreshing.. Milk!” Tayong can barely get his sentence out, Johnny is giggling from his desk now too at his friends causing a scene, that’s when Sicheng makes himself known.

“Well, I appreciated my milk.” he remarks from the row of desks in front of them, the word milk makes Jungwoo chuckle, he kinda gets it now. And with that their teacher walks in and they calm down.

“And then he said ‘well, I appreciated my milk’ PUAHAHhaha ha.. Haechan why aren’t you laughing? Haechan? I thought you’d appreciate this.” Taeyong is recounting the story from this morning to their friend Lee Haechan from first year who happens to be so talented he’s in Jaehyun and Taeil’s second year vocal class. School had finished and as none of the friends cared too much about getting into a SKY university and got good enough grades with a regular amount of studying, instead of heading to a hakwon like every other student, the 8 boys were heading to Han River to sit on some grass and enjoy the rest of the day.

“Ha. Ha. Where’s my egg funny man?” Haechan stops in his tracks to give Taeyong one of his terrifying stares. Taeyong has to hit the breaks on his bike, sure he’s only going as fast as Haechan is walking but the kid stepped in front of him like he had no fears.

“Not you too….. I didn’t get you an egg, I thought that was a joke text like Johnny and Jungwoo.” This is also the moment when Taeyong realizes he only has Jaehyun in this world, sure Jae teased him too, but at least he gave him a clear concise list.

“The hanwoo was not a joke and I expect all three of my servings by the end of the day.” Johnny pauses his conversation with Sicheng about some new foreign student who is taking the dance department by storm, to spin around and interject.

“Three? I thought it was four?” Jaehyun questions Johnny, opting to walk his bike along the path the group is disruptively walking down.

“One serving is for Jungwoo duh, he wanted it too.” Johnny states matter of factly.

“Oh I thought Tyong was gonna have to buy five servings, but four isn’t as bad.”

“Just buy it yourself! Sicheng, and even Jungwoo paid me back already.” Taeyong loves his friends, he does, but they are annoying. 

“Jaehyun didn’t! Notice how he’s not on that list, no special treatment unless I get it too Tyong that’s just the way it goes, so I’ve decided I’m giving myself special treatment and I will not be paying you back for a room temperature brew.” Johnny made the decision on Taeyong’s behalf and quickly turned back to Sicheng.

“So this Mark dude….” he starts, but Taeyong stops caring and starts slowly peddling his bike again.

“I guess our friendship doesn’t mean enough to you if you’d really read my text, humbly asking for a simple egg, and choose to ignore your sweet little brother’s request.” Haechan gives Taeyong an adorably good pouty face.

“Friendship or brotherhood pick one. Be careful.” Taeyong doesn’t fall for the pout.

“B-brotherhood?” 

“Brotherhood?”

“Yes, brotherhood.”

“I will buy you an egg. ONE, egg, once we get to the river, but only because you’re my baby brother now.” Taeyong holds up one finger in Hachan’s face for emphasis, he has also officially decided to adopt Haechan as his younger brother.

“Oh damn. Can I be your brother too?” Jaehyun asks, putting on a disarmingly good pout despite never doing something quite like it before. The pout catches Taeyong off guard and he stares for a second almost losing control of his bike, but the question is what really gets to him. Brother? Jaehyun? EW. No. But why not…? Who cares, just no.

“NO. Never.” Taeyong snaps out of his thoughts.

“What whyy?”

“Just no, you said my older sister was hot, brothers don’t think their sister is hot.” Taeyong fakes a gag. But he saved himself with this one.

“Again with the sister shit, I was speaking  _ objectively,  _ I said your sister was hot not that I want to sleep with her!” Jaehyun doesn’t think twice about Taeyong’s response as he has no reason to.

“Taeyong do you have a hot older sister I should know about before I fully become your younger brother?” Haechan had to joke about this, he’d probably combust into flames if he didn’t make a joke about possibly banging Taeyong’s older sister.

“Taeyong’s sister looks exactly like him but in a wig.” Taeil now Joins the conversation having known Taeyong’s sister the longest in the group.

“She’s hot like Taeyong is hot, her face is perfect, it's exactly like his, but she’s Taeyong’s sister, y'know. Taeyong is hot, you can’t not think he’s hot, but he’s Taeyong.” Doyoung says feigning disgust.

“Local gay first to say SOPA’s Lee Taeyong isn’t hot! Extra extra read all about it!” Johnny excitedly yells and giggles, making the rest of the boys laugh too.

“When did I say he wasn’t hot? I basically said it like four times in that sentence, he’s hot. I’m just not gonna do anything about it.” Doyoung shrugs and distances himself from the conversation to start talking to Taeil again.

“Me saying Taeyong’s sister is hot is not me saying Taeyong is hot though.” Jaehyun adds for extra measure.

“It absolutely is!” chimes Jungwoo.

“There’s no denying it! Tyong’s hot! He’s gorgeous!” Jungwoo is being loud, loud enough for random people to spare them a glance.

“Please stop.” Taeyong groans, rolling his eyes feeling embarrassed.

“We’re almost near our usual spot and this is the closest convenience store. Haechan, brotherhood or friendship? Ya gonna sleep with my sister or not, am I sexually attractive to you or no?” Taeyong stops his bike and stares at Haechan awaiting a response.

“I’ve opted to be your brother only as it seems to be the most rewarding thing for me right now.” Haechan nods to himself and heads in the direction of the convenience store before Taeyong, dead set on getting his egg. Taeyong waves off his friends silently letting them know they can continue without them while they purchase an egg. As he bikes off towards the store Jaehyun hops on his bike and pedals beside him.

“I don’t want to sleep with your sister-”

“Drop it, I know you don’t.” Taeyong is just happy Jaehyun in joining him to buy Haechan an egg.

“Can you buy me an actually cold cold brew?” there it is.

“Of course Jae.” anything for you.

Taeyong makes Haechan promise not to mention the drinks he buys for himself and Jaehyun to their friends as they chug the actually cold liquid. Haechan, now happy with his egg, ensures Taeyong that he has no reason to betray him anymore. They leave the cool store refreshed and venture out into the now 32 degree heat of the summer, heading out to find the rest of the boys.

**SunnyD: i have obtained the egg**

**SunnyD: where are yall sitting we cant find u :(**

**Moonman: I’ll stand up and wave you down**

**Jae: good idea taeil, but perhaps get the tall boy to do it**

**Moonman is typing...**

“There he is! I see Johnny!” Haechan yells with his hands holding onto Taeyong’s shoulders standing up on the pegs of his bike’s back wheel like Jaehyun used to. As they approach their friends, Haechan ceremoniously jumps off the back of Taeyong’s bike and produces a single egg from his uniform pocket holding it above his head like Simba in The Lion King, Johnny and Jungwoo understand the reference and bow to the egg. Jaehyun hops off his bike and drops it in the grass along with his backpack, while Taeyong props his bike gently against the big tree the boys are all taking refuge from the sun under.

“So what were ya’ll talking about?” Jaehyun asks, sprawling out in the warm grass, untying his uniform tie and tossing it off to the side onto his pile of belongings like the rest of the boys have already done. Taeyong sits down cross legged beside him kicking his sneakers off. Jaehyun closes his eyes, enjoying the warmth, enjoying the short lived moment of peace.

“We’re gonna befriend Mark Lee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh welcome to the gang Haechan, and.... Mark Lee?
> 
> Also these updates are going to be rapid fire and unscheduled I have nothing to do while still in covid lock down but write this, and stream punch, which you should all be doing as well!


	4. 2011 - August cont.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's almost a duty now to befriend the new kid.

“Mark Lee?” Taeyong is audibly puzzled.

“Mark Lee?” Haechan too.

“Oh! Lee Mark!” maybe not.

“He’s in my homeroom class! Wait what about him?” Haechan inquires, half sitting on the ground, half lounging in Johnny’s lap.

“We’re going to befriend him, Johnny says we need more “diversity” among us.” Doyoung sits up from his position laying in the grass to do air quotes while he says diversity.

“But he’s a stinky American?” Jaehyun says nonchalantly, cracking his eyes open to look in Johnny’s direction, Taeyong lightly hits him on the thigh.

“One, I am a  _ stinky American _ . Two, you lived in  _ stinky America _ before moving to Seoul. And three, he’s  _ Canadian _ .  **Very** different.” Johnny, as always, falls for Jaehyun’s trap.

“Canada and America are literally the same though… Right?” Jungwoo has honest confusion written on his face, this is a new revelation for him.

“No, no. Jungwoo, Canada has polar bears, and it’s always snowy, they live in igloos!” Sicheng is clearly joking but Jungwoo doesn’t catch on.

“Igloos? I think that’s wrong Win?” 

“Canada is very different, but yes Jungwoo, Winwin is horribly incorrect. A difference would be that Canadians have maple syrup, and moose… but it does snow a lot up there, so... yeah. They also speak French, and that’s pretty weird?” Johnny sounds like he isn’t actually sure what makes the two countries so different.

“Sounds similar enough to me?” Taeil giggles from his place leaning against the tree next to Taeyong’s bicycle.

“You guys know how America has guns?” Jaehyun inquires towards his friends. Everyone nods and hums in agreement.

“Canada doesn’t.” the entire group breaks out into “Oh!”s and “I get it now”s.

“Still what does that have to do with diversity?” Taeyong asks the real question that has been on Jaehyun’s mind.

“Well, diversity is good… and Chicago was very diverse from what I remember and… we... need diversity?” Johnny sounds unsure of himself again.

“But by your standards would you not help with our diversity? Like you said, you’re a stinky American?” Taeyong is confused as to why they can’t just befriend the boy because he sounds nice.

“But I’m Korean.”

“Mark’s Korean.”

“Ok, maybe it’s because he’s a new kid, we always befriend the new kid, it’s our  _ brand... _ And also maybe I just want a friend to speak English with, I’m forgetting most of it. I forgot the word for  **hand** the other day!” Johnny holds up his hand and looks at it as if he’s questioning its existence.

“I speak English?” Jaehyun sits up to look at Johnny wondering if his friend really forgot the fact that he spoke a whole other language.

“Yeah but I want to hang out a lot and only speak English and I can’t do that with you without making everyone else feel left out.”

“We can hang out alone? You know that right?”

“Not without Taeyong!” everyone but Taeyong hums in agreement.

“Ok, ok. Fine. Let’s befriend Mark Lee so Johnny has an English friend.” Jaehyun sighs.

“Isn’t that kinda weird..?” Taeyong speaks up, looking around at his friends.

“Shut up before I throw you into the river.” Doyoung gives Taeyong a death glare. Another peaceful silence falls over the friends, all of them relaxing in the shade.

“It’s so hot out do you think I could crack my egg open and fry it on the pavement?” Haechan breaks the silence.

“That egg isn’t raw.”

“It isn’t?”

“Shut. Up.”

The boys continued like this having baseless conversations for hours until the sun began to set. Sicheng was the first to leave, stating he had an important paper due later that week that he wanted to get started, when Johnny, Jungwoo, Jaehyun, and Taeyong realized they were in the same class as him and should probably also do their schoolwork they decided to leave too, waving bye to their other friends who decided they were going to the nearest ice cream store together. 

The four friends walked along together to Johnny’s home seeing him off as he lived on the way from the park. Next Jungwoo had to take a different turn from Jaehyun and Taeyong leaving but not before blurting “Say hi to your hot sister for me Tyongie!” and running off down the street laughing until the only thing Jaehyun and Taeyong could hear was him wheezing in the distance.

“Wanna go to the arcade tomorrow after class?” now only Jaehyun and Taeyong are together, walking side by side pushing their bikes, opting to take the slower way home. The sun could barely be seen in the sky, street lamps flickering on one by one, the small shops lining the narrow street they were passing through closing for the night and turning their lights off. Some stores still had bright neon signs on, buzzing absently in the cooling thick summer air, attracting hundreds of moths fluttering around the glow.

“Mm can’t... I have work tomorrow.” Taeyong’s favourite parts of the day were always his morning bike rides, and his late night walks home, especially when he has Jaehyun by his side.

“Oh yeah Tuesday, udon day…”

“Udon day.” he nods.

“Maybe I’ll show up for a bowl, I haven’t gone in forever!”

“I’d like that.” Taeyong glances over at his friend who is looking up at the sky smiling softly to himself as they approach the street where Jaehyun turns, nudging him to let him know this is his street.

“Oh, that was fast. Catch ya tomorrow Yong!” Jaehyun shoots him a smile before hopping on his bike and heading off down the street, waving his arm wildly to his friend.

“See ya!” 

Taeyong resumes walking down the barely lit street in the direction of his home appreciating his neighbourhood and already reminiscing on another day well spent with his friends.

In the winter months Osaka Udon is known to be a cozy hotspot in the area, tucked away in an alley near a food market, and the best spot to get a nice toasty bowl of soup to help warm you from within. The second the shop’s infamous screen doors slide open the steam of broth and the smell of tofu fills one’s nose, one step into the shop already feels like being transported to Osaka. 

In the summer months however, to beat the steam that usually fills the shop, the sliding doors become sliding walls giving way to expose the entire corner shop to the outdoors, red fabric noren curtains are strung up to give shade to the shop while still keeping it exposed to the passing breeze. 

After a long day at school Taeyong has finally arrived at the end of the narrow bustling street he sees, and smells, every morning as he passes by the GS25. He descends his bicycle deciding he doesn’t feel like running over anyone’s toes today, and starts off in the direction of the rising steam he can see in the distance. The street is filled with people, some buying fresh blocks of tofu to take home for dinner tonight, some businessmen in their suits stopping for a quick meal during their break, and many, many students and children buying snacks, falling victim to the delicious aromas.

“Hello Mr. Nakamoto!” The Nakamoto family are the owners of Osaka Udon, Mr. and Mrs. Nakamoto and their son Yuta who happens to be Taeyong’s age.

“Good afternoon Taeyong!” Mr. Nakamoto greets him cheerfully from behind the cash register, serving a customer. The shop is busy even on a hot day like today.

“Just bringing my bike out back!” Taeyong calls from deeper in the shop. Through the back room a door leads to behind the restaurant, it connects to a residential street making it easier to receive produce deliveries, and a safe place for Taeyong to leave his bike. As Taeyong pushes the door open he hits something on the other side.

“Yuta! Hey man, sorry!”

“Nah don’t worry about it, you just get here too?” Yuta is wearing his international school blazer, his family only moved to Korea in the past couple of years meaning Yuta attended a school for foreign students. Taeyong looks at Yuta’s normal navy blue uniform then down at his own vibrant yellow uniform, why did SOPA have to be so flashy?

“Yeah, obviously, I wouldn’t be wearing  **this** uniform otherwise.”

Taeyong and Yuta both brought everyday clothes to change into for their shift together, both wearing jeans and a white t-shirt to “keep it casual, but classy” as Yuta would say. The only uniform worn at the restaurant besides Mr. Nakamoto’s traditional Japanese chef’s uniform, was a deep red half apron tied around their waists. 

The constant flow of customers, as well as having Yuta to joke around with from time to time made the hours go by fast for Taeyong, before he knew it 4pm turned to 7pm, and suddenly a group of loud boys came barreling into the restaurant.

“Taeyong~!” Jungwoo and Johnny’s harmonized voices called out in a singsong manner.

“Tell them I’ve died.” Taeyong quips to Yuta, making him let out a loud laugh drawing the friend’s attention to exactly who they were looking for.

“That is the opposite of what I wanted.” Taeyong heads over to greet the boys.

“Please don’t bother me at work guys-”

“What a way to speak to paying customers!” Doyoung says a little too loudly and a little too dramatically.

“I will beat you up, what do you want? Udon? You want udon? Sit down then.” everyone shuts their mouth and sits down at the table Taeyong points towards.

“Hey, I really tried my hardest to come alone but you know how they are..” Jaehyun approaches Taeyong apologetically.

“Don’t worry Jae, just keep them quiet and don’t let them talk to Yu…. ta….”

“Hey Yongie, why haven’t we been introduced to your  _ hot _ co-worker.” 

“Fuck.”

“Hey Yongie, why haven’t I been introduced to your  _ hot _ friends.” Yuta, who has never called Taeyong “Yongie” before, is looking directly at Sicheng as he says “hot”.

“Alright! Yuta a table needs your help over there!” Taeyong gestures vaguely in a direction away from his friends and Yuta gets the hint and goes to check on the other tables. 

“Can he be our friend? Taeyong please can we keep him?” Haechan pleads. Taeyong gives his friends a menu but not without placing his hand harshly on the table and leaning in so only they can hear him.

“I would like one normal friend and you’ve been here for two seconds and he’s already 20% weirder than before, this is not Pokemon, you do NOT have to catch ‘em all-”

“Pokemon? Have you guys played Black and White yet?” Yuta is back.

“No? It was just released!” Johnny thinks he’s lying to seem cool.

“Not in Japan, it’s been out for a year! It’s good, not as good as Emerald though..”

“WHICH STARTER FOR EMERALD?” this. This is the moment Johnny has been waiting for for six years, another like minded soul.

“Torchic, duh.”

“NO!”

The friends are now quiet, stuffing their faces with bowls of kitsune udon, an Osaka specialty you can only get in Seoul at the Nakamoto’s restaurant. Fragrant broth, and chewy noodles, topped with fried sweet tofu, fish cakes, and an egg.

“Well well well if it isn’t Mark Lee!” Yuta calls across the restaurant as another customer enters. Taeyong pauses while serving customers, the group previously eating quietly gets even quieter. Yuta marches over to another boy which Haechan and Sicheng confirm to their friends is the famed Mark Lee.

“How’s it going man!” Mark and Yuta share a tight hug and begin to talk among themselves. 

“Do something!” Johnny whispers to Haechan.

“Do what? What do you want?”

“Something!”

“Why-”

“Hey! Haechan! What’s up?” in a turn of events, Mark Lee is the one who does “something”.

“Uh hey, just uhh, getting some udon with the boys..”

“Oh that’s sick-”

“Hey! I’m Jaehyun, you’re Mark Lee right? We all go to SOPA too..” Jaehyun cuts in before anyone can mess this up, and gestures to his friends.

“Oh yeah hey, I’ve seen some of you around.”

“Are you staying to get something to eat? You should sit with us.” Mark looks at Jaehyun's welcoming demeanor then at the 7 grinning boys already taking up two tables. Yuta nods enthusiastically to him.

An hour passes and Mark Lee has already been fully incorporated into the friend group, albeit sans Taeyong and Yuta. Time passing also meant Yuta had to kick the gang out of the shop so they could close up for the night.

“I’d love to let you stick around but you’re only going to cause more messes and slow Taeyong down, so, get out.”

The boys mock fake sadness and decide to head out for dessert, all eight of them, Mark Lee included. Taeyong can’t believe they did it, they befriended him in an hour, maybe this is Pokemon, maybe they really are just gonna catch 'em all.

  
  


9pm quickly turned to 9:40, Mr. Nakamoto had already gone home leaving the cleaning to the two boys, claiming they did it fastest, he was not wrong. 40 minutes was probably their new record time to sweep, mop, do the dishes, stack the chairs, and count the till. Yuta and Taeyong made a great team, and Taeyong kinda wanted it to stay that way, it’s not that he was jealous or anything like that, he was fine with his friends getting to know Yuta, but Yuta seemed to know things some of the guys didn’t even know, Taeyong barely even knew it himself.

“So… The great Jaehyun, finally got to see him again.”

“Not this again.”

“I’m just saying you talk an awful lot about him, you do an awful lot for him, and you stare at him so sweetly, and you-”

“ _ PLEASE _ .”

“Fine. He’s just your best friend that you like  **A LOT** .”

“Just because I like dudes doesn’t mean I’m in love with my best friend, Yuta.”

“No it doesn’t but-”

“ **No.** ”

“Ok, ok. Well then Mr. Lee, good work today. Let’s head home before I fall asleep on this table.” Yuta says this while laying back on a table he’s perched upon and stretching out.

“Yes, let’s.” Taeyong pushes the table a little, making his friend stumble off.

Yuta double checks to make sure all the doors are locked and the security system is on before the duo leave through the back exit, turning in opposite directions. Taeyong was just about to hop on his bike when he heard someone talking not too far away.

“And this one is named Dori!” it was the voice of a little boy.

“Wow he’s so cool, and big! Did you find him yourself?” this deeper voice Taeyong knew. As he peered around the corner he could see Jaehyun and two children sitting on the ground with a bucket between them.

“Yeah we went to the mountain today and we got tons of them but our mom said we can only keep two each so we have to pick our favourites!” the second little boy exclaimed. As Taeyong approached them he could see Jaehyun was gently holding whatever the boys found.

“I love rhino beetles because they have cute little horns, but when I was younger I always had stag beetles like Dori!” his face lit up as he took a closer look at the rhino beetle the size of a small rodent in his hands.

“You only had stags because you didn’t have the patience to raise a rhino from a grub.” Taeyong spoke up, slightly startling the three boys on the ground. His comment made the children laugh.

“Tyong! Wow, boys you better listen to him, this guy had like twenty beetles at once! He can teach you how to take care of them really well! He taught me everything when we were your age.” Jaehyun looked up from his position on the concrete at his best friend with fond eyes, Taeyong noted that he didn’t look much different from the two children he was with, cute. Taeyong reaches out and ruffles his friend’s hair.

“Yeah, and don’t listen to this guy, he forgot to mist his beetle once and it dried up and died…” Taeyong squats down to look at the bucket of rhino and stag beetles.

“How’d you guys catch so many funky little boys, you’ve got at least 7 in here!?” he doesn’t realize but he’s really excited to see beetles after so long.

“We’re really fast, like, _ really  _ fast!!” one of the young boys exclaims.

“Like  **_really_ ** fast.” Jaehyun jokes.

“What’re you gonna do with the ones you can’t keep..?” Taeyong is holding one of the larger stag beetles close to his face, he can feel himself falling for it.

“What he’d like to say boys, is that this man here would like to purchase this one of your fine spikey friends for a hefty price!” Jaehyun jumps in already knowing Taeyong wants to keep the bug but would never actually do it without his meddling. Taeyong looks at his friend, shocked and about to shut down his claim before the louder of the two children yells.

“DEAL! We were just gonna let 'em go.”

“What’s your price…” Taeyong has resigned to his fate. The two young boys huddle up to talk about their beetle bargain. After a minute of mumbling they turn and look him dead in the eye.

“Ice cream.” They say together both nodding.

Taeyong sends Jaehyun and the boys off with his wallet to buy ice cream, and some bananas for his new beetle friend, while he stays outside the GS25 watching over the large insects. Somehow the combination of late nights, beetles, and Jaehyun makes him feel nostalgic.

  
  


“So… What were you doing behind the Nakamoto’s restaurant?” Taeyong and Jaehyun are walking home after their back alley beetle trade with two 8 year olds.

“Waiting for you, what else would I be doing?” Jaehyun is holding a small slice of cake in his bare hands, which he bought for himself with Taeyong’s money with the excuse that the little container it came in was perfect for transporting Taeyong’s new bug friend in. He wasn’t wrong, the large insect fit perfectly in the plastic container as it nibbled on some of the crumbs left in the bottom.

“Oh, uh, cool. How’d you get rid of everyone else?” Taeyong hides his flushed red cheeks from his best friend.

“They were very interested in the Mark Lee kid, he was telling us about some weird exchange program that the school is doing…” Jaehyun shrugs.

“I just said I was leaving and no one cared.”

“Did he tell you how he knows Yuta? I forgot to ask and I’m so curious.” Taeyong partially forgot about “the Mark Lee kid”.

“He used to go to the same international school as him, something like that. He’s at SOPA as a part of some prodigy diversity program, and yes, before you ask, Johnny did gasp when he heard the word diversity.” Jaehyun and Taeyong giggle together walking their regular route home barely paying attention to anything, their feet moving on autopilot.

“Oh so he’s a prodigy?”

“Yeah the dude can sing, dance, and rap, he’s wild! Or so I’ve heard from everyone else... He said next semester, in February, there’s gonna be another new student.” 

“Another new friend…” Taeyong sighs, this is getting exhausting, he hasn’t even met Mark yet and he already knows his friends will try to snatch up the other student as well.

“Gotta catch ‘em all.” Jaehyun nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i write this after rewatching nct teacher for a day and absolutely loving taeyong bragging to children that he raised 20 beetles when he was younger? yes. is this self indulgent because i love beetles? yes.
> 
> also dw i have a plan for this whole fic it's just taking me a hot minute to get to the... angst.


End file.
